Age of Wonders: Planetfall – Civ-in-space meets XCOM with laser dinosaurs
Age of Wonders: Planetfall is what happens when a classic fantasy 4X series switches to sci-fi and absolutely goes for it. It’s a mix of empire management on the strategic map and XCOM-style tactical battles, wrapped in a slightly bonkers space-opera setting.
You pick a faction – bio-engineered amazons riding laser raptors, grim corporate enforcers, cyborg zombies, space dwarves in power armor, etc. – and then build cities, expand, research tech, and fight turn-based battles where positioning, cover, and unit abilities really matter. The tactical combat is the star: flanking, overwatch, status effects, unit mods – it’s deep, crunchy, and very satisfying when a combo comes together.
The unit mod system is one of the best parts. Instead of just “tier 1 / tier 2 / tier 3 units”, you bolt on different weapons, armor and mods that can completely change how a unit works. The same humble infantry squad can be stealthy assassins in one game and tanky shield walls in another.
On the strategy side, Planetfall plays like a more detailed, busier Civilization:
Sector-based expansion instead of simple fat-cross cities
Multiple tech trees (military, society, secret tech)
NPC factions, quests and landmarks to fight over
The downside is that it can feel overwhelming and a bit fiddly. There are a lot of systems, a lot of numbers, and the UI sometimes feels like it’s barely keeping up. Mid- and late-game turns can drag as you manage many cities and armies, and if you don’t enjoy the tactical battles, the whole thing loses its shine.
Still, if you like deep turn-based tactics, customisable armies, and the idea of roleplaying a weird sci-fi faction with its own ideology and tech, Age of Wonders: Planetfall is a seriously good time. It’s dense, yes – but once it “clicks”, it’s one of the most satisfying sci-fi 4X/tactics hybrids out there.
